Following two selections in the second round and one in the third, it was a long wait for the Chicago Blackhawks to close out the 2026 NHL Draft. After patiently sitting through the fourth, fifth, and sixth rounds without making a pick, general manager Kyle Draft put a bow on his 2026 class with two draft choices in the final round.
7th Round (No. 194) – Alexander Ivanov (LD)
With the 194th pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, the Blackhawks selected defenseman Alexander Ivanov from Ak Bars Kazan in Russia’s KHL. Ivanov is a 6-foot-2, 181-pound left-handed defenseman who turned 18 on Jun. 10. He recorded no goals and three assists in 36 games in Russia’s VHL during the 2025-26 season. Ivanov also made his first seven career KHL appearances, but failed to find the scoresheet.
Ivanov is signed with Ak Bars through the 2027-28 season, meaning he’ll spend at least the next two years in Russia. He’s a big-bodied, stay-at-home defenseman with a decent first pass and pro hockey experience under his belt at a young age. We’ll see in time if he ever comes over to North America, as Russian players can sometimes be hesitant to develop in the AHL, which would likely be required for Ivanov.
7th Round (No. 200) – William Sorbrand (F)
With the 200th pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, the Blackhawks selected forward William Sorbrand from Timra IK in Sweden’s SHL. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound forward produced 18 points (10G, 8A) in 28 games in Sweden’s U20 league in 2025-26. Sorbrand also made his first five career SHL appearances, but he failed to record a single point.
Sorbrand is another prospect with tremendous size and has some pro experience already at 18 years old. He won’t turn 19 until next March.
Blackhawks 2026 Draft Class
Here’s a look at the Blackhawks five selections in the 2026 NHL Draft.
2nd Round (34) – Xavier Villaneuve (LD)
2nd Round (35) – Ryan Roobroeck (F)
3rd Round (66) – Samu Alalauri (RD)
7th Round (194) – Alexander Ivanov (LD)
7th Round (200) – William Sorbrand (F)
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